Zabb
Zabb is a fictional character in the Wild Cards anthology. He is a Takisian Psi Lord and cousin to Dr. Tachyon. History Born on the planet Takis over one hundred years ago, Zabb was the prospective heir to the throne of powerful House Ilkazam until his uncle Shaklan finally managed to sire a male heir, Tisianne, better known on Earth as Dr. Tachyon. Only a little older than Tisianne, the two young Psi-Lords grew up together, engaging in a childhood rivalry that always held an undercurrent of loathing for Zabb. When Tisianne left for Earth in an effort to stop the Psi Lord Ansata from testing the Enhancer (Xenovirus Takis-A) on the human population, Zabb remained behind. It wasn't until nearly forty years later, the blink of an eye for the long lived Psi Lords, that Zabb and several other Takisians traveled to Earth to see firsthand the results of the Enhancer and bring home not just human test subjects, but the wayward Lord Tisianne as well. Tisianne/Tachyon was captured by Zabb along with three aces; the Great and Powerful Turtle, Mark Meadows, and Fantasy. Zabb attempted to assassinate Tachyon while he was confined to Zabb's ship, Hellcat, but Tachyon and the aces escaped with the help of Mark Meadows's "friends" and an alien device known as a singularity shifter. In revenge Zabb sought to destroy Tachyon's adopted planet by forging an alliance with the Swarm Mother and attempting to redirect an asteroid onto a collision course with Earth. Aided by Starshine, Tachyon deflected the asteroid and then defeated Zabb in ship to ship battle. With Hellcat crippled, Zabb could only helplessly beam his hatred at Tachyon as he drifted off into deep space. Unknown to Tachyon, Zabb did not die. Happened upon by a Network ship, Zabb made a deal. He would captain a Network ship in exchange for his life. For the next several years, Zabb earned a living as a trader captain. Neither friends nor enemies he lived until he was summoned to Earth to negotiate a trip to his homeworld. Zabb was pleased to discover the customer wishing to negotiate passage to Takis was his estranged cousin, though Tachyon was not quite as Zabb remembered him. Tachyon's years on Earth had not been kind. Blaise Jeannot Andrieux, Tachyon's grandson by a human woman, had grown into a dangerous menace and used a newly acquired power to trap Tachyon in the body of a teenage runaway named Kelly Ann Jenkins. Not only young and female, but heavily pregnant as well, Tachyon was forced to endure Zabb's mockery during the long voyage home. Zabb's fee was only that Tachyon lie about his activities and whereabouts over the years. The story was to be Zabb had heroically fought off the Swarm after the other Takisians aboard Hellcat had died. He was then forced to accept servitude to the Network rather than certain death. Tachyon agreed, little suspecting Zabb's ulterior motives. Breaking his Network contract, Zabb fled to Takis. When Tachyon attempted to claim the throne left vacant by the comatose Shaklan, Zabb used a quirk of Takisian law to usurp his cousin's claim. Only male heirs can rule upon Takis. Kelly's female body consigned Tachyon to the women's quarters no matter what her mind or original gender might be. Zabb had achieved his dream of becoming Raiyis of House Ilkazam. Unfortunately, his rule would be both brief and very troubled. Blaise had preceded Zabb and Tachyon to Takis and begun carving out a new empire. A Takisian World War developed with House Ilkazam arrayed against Blaise, House Vayawand, and their allies. Against heavy odds Zabb managed to form a coalition of Houses opposed to Blaise, but also began to increasingly rely upon Tachyon's help to manage things. A growing attraction to Tachyon's female form also began to manifest itself and Zabb sublimated his desire to kill his cousin with a desire to seduce "her" instead. The two wound up sharing a bed together and by the time the Takisian World War was over, Tachyon was pregnant once again, this time with Zabb's son. Tragically, Zabb died in the final battle of the war, locked in hand to hand combat with Blaise. Cornered by his enemies, Blaise jumped into Zabb's body and, while Zabb was disoriented by the unusual mode of attack, blew his brains out with a conventional handgun. For a time Tachyon believed Zabb had betrayed his promise to capture Blaise, but had no time to mourn once Blaise's trickery was discovered. It is unknown if Kelly Jenkins decided to carry Zabb's child to term once she was returned to her rightful body by the captive Blaise. Alien Traits Zabb has the traditional abilities associated with a Psi-Lord of Takis, telepathy and a vastly extended lifespan. He is a skilled mentat with the power to detect, read, and control the minds of others. Zabb is capable of inducing sleep or pain in a target as well as penetrating the psychic shields of other telepaths. Appearance A tall and lean Takisian male, Zabb has wavy silver-blonde hair and cold grey eyes. He is very handsome with almost angelic features offset by a well groomed mustache. After he was injured in a fire aboard his crippled spaceship much of Zabb's chest is covered by burn scars. Personality Zabb is arrogant and ambitious. His desire to possess the ruling scepter of the House Ilkazam saw him assassinate several members of his own family and attempt to assassinate Tachyon, the rightful heir. His desire to master others was instrumental in his taming of Hellcat and hold over Durg at' Morakh. Trivia Selected Reading *Wild Cards Volume II: Aces High Category:Jumper victims